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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
A famous American boxing trainer shared expectations for the final stage of Oleksandr Usyk's career. The specialist wants the Ukrainian to remain undefeated.
The trainer, who once guided Oleksandr Gvozdyk to a light heavyweight title, noted that he would prefer to see Usyk finish his sporting journey on a happy note. His quote is cited by Boxing News Online.
What Atlas warned Usyk about
The trainer gave examples of when other superheavyweights (over 90,72 kilograms) made the decision to "hang up the gloves on the peg" far too late, which adversely affected their health and professional records.
“I just want Usyk to do what not every great fighter has managed: retire at the peak of his career. Leave intact, healthy, and leave behind the memory that, in our view, he deserves. Great Joe Louis failed to do this. Great Muhammad Ali failed to do this,”
— Atlas said.
The specialist added that despite his wishes, it is Usik who will make the important decision. However, the American believes that the Ukrainian boxer is currently leaning toward retirement.
What Usik himself says about it
Recently 39-year-old boxer gave an interview to The Athletic. There he stated that he is currently considering an option for a "last dance" in sports. He does not rule out the possibility of fighting American Deontay Wilder in the Zuffa Boxing organization.
At the same time, the Ukrainian hinted that when he goes, the decision will be firm. Oleksandr said that he understands boxers who first retire and then return. In his view, quitting the sport is very psychologically hard.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Колишній тренер Гвоздика очікує від Усика того, чого не вдалося Мухаммеду Алі: про що мова". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Channel 24.
